Eli Roth, most notably known for his work on the “Cabin Fever” and “Hostel” series, is a master director of slasher films with his newest endeavor being “Thanksgiving” which premiered in theaters on Nov. 14.

“Thanksgiving” takes place in modern-day Plymouth, MA, the birthplace of Thanksgiving, with an ax-murderer dressed as a pilgrim terrorizing residents after a Black Friday tragedy unfolds. With the genius tagline “There will be no leftovers” the film creates a new generation of truly good slasher films.

Interestingly, Eli Roth created a fake trailer titled “Thanksgiving” in 2007 that was a parody of slasher films from the late seventies and eighties. This was included in the Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez double-feature “Grindhouse”.

The “Thanksgiving” plot follows a stereotypical revenge plot which happens in most slasher films, but what really sets it apart from others was its opening scene which was chaotic, thrilling and gory.

Customers camp outside of a RightMart ready for Black Friday deals at the store when a riot begins, ending in tragedy. This scene encapsulated the fate of the film and was done in not only a gruesome way, but also in a dark, comedic way that related to the high level of consumerism and commercialism that happens in America around the holidays.

Roth’s signature brand of gruesome violence is featured in this movie with no shortage of blood and gore. There were several over-the-top kills and an array of killing methods that showcased pilgrim-era weaponry as well as modern day weapons.

The pace of the film was perfect with a run-time of one hour and 46 minutes. The main and subplots didn’t drag or become repetitive. Suspense and tension built up throughout the film and plenty of jump scares added to the suspense.

Another aspect of the film that made it a truly good slasher film was the incorporation of social media in a relevant way. The “Thanksgiving Murderer” not only taunts the teens in real life, but also taunts them via social media by setting up a dinner table for them. The cast gave a solid performance and each brought different dynamics to the friend group as well as the main plot. Tomaso Sanelli, as Evan, portrayed the stereotypical jock. He was insufferable to watch but well performed.

Even though the revenge plot was the most prominent plot of the film, some of the kills were designated for certain characters who more or less deserved what was coming. The film also kept everyone wondering who the killer was.

The film’s cinematography was also impressive as it captured the eerie atmosphere of the quaint town and the claustrophobic tension from the opening scene. The editing was masterfully done with quick sharp cuts that kept the audience engaged.

Overall, “Thanksgiving” was a refreshing addition to the horror-slasher film genre because the film’s creative direction is enough to appeal to horror fans. “Thanksgiving” has an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and 90% of Google users liked the movie.

It is safe to say that “Thanksgiving” was an 8/10 and left no crumbs, so go ahead and add it to your family’s holiday feast of films.